The organization was created as a joint venture between the American Public Health Association and the National League for Nursing (NLN).
Through "deeming authority" granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in 1992, CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice, and home medical equipment services to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards.
Here, although the accreditation appears to be voluntary, there is often a linked governmental regulation that encourages organizations and their programs to comply in the process.
[3] This is part of the move towards promoting common standards among health departments both on the state and national levels.
[4] Today, the CHAP accreditation is recognized as the standard when determining the level of excellence in home care.